Percy Grainger The Duke of Marlborough Fanfare

Percy Grainger was a composer, pianist and arranger, born in Melbourne, Australia in 1882. He was based in London from 1901 and then moved to the USA in 1914. In 1918 he took up American citizenship and lived there until he died in 1961.
Today the musical establishments of Australia, England and America all claim Grainger as their own, although the key reasons may vary from one country to another. There are his experimentation and innovation, his love and collection of British folksong, and his marvellous legacy of music for military or concert band.
Grainger and other composers of his time recognised the value of preserving folksong, even as the art and knowledge were being lost at the start of the 20th century. The invention of the Edison phonograph allowed collectors to record folksong as it was sung. Composers like Bartok and Grainger did not seek to iron out the so-called “wrong notes” or non-regular rhythms but to preserve and celebrate them.
A short but little-known work of Grainger’s is the Duke of Marlborough Fanfare. It is based on a folksong Grainger first heard and recorded in Sussex, England, around 1905, and then set as a fanfare in 1939. Grainger’s original short score highlights his quirky and individual approach.
Performers: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra & Richard Hickox
Publisher: CHANDOS CHAN 10638 (19)
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